Dobby reveals scale of shock among Wasps players following Dai Young's removal

[Rossm]

In the Telegraph:

Dan Robson spoke for all the Wasps players as he revealed the “shock” of hearing the news that Dai Young had been removed as director of rugby. But the scrum-half insists the sudden change of leadership will not damage the team’s determination to fix a troubled and miserable Premiership season.

Robson, who praised Young for being so influential in helping him break into the England set-up, said the club’s decision to move the Welshman aside from his first-team duties last week was “disruptive” as they tried to concentrate on preparing for the Saturday’s visit to Welford Road.

Lee Blackett, promoted from within to take over as interim head coach with the Wasps board expected to start a search for a replacement, took charge of the 18-9 defeat by fellow strugglers Leicester, making it a miserable end to a difficult week.

Wasps say Young, 52, who has been a steady hand on the tiller for nine years and oversaw the move to the Ricoh Arena, has been linked with Ospreys, while it is known that he has been working in a tension-filled environment, mainly due to player signings.
Wasps, who are 10th in the table, host Saracens on Friday keen to regain the winning threat, but Robson said: “As disruptions go it was not ideal. It was a massive shock for all of us when we found out on the Tuesday. It was pretty tough news to be told.

“The first thing we spoke about as a leadership group and then as a team was that we still had to prepare the best we can for the trip to Tigers, and make sure nothing changed. I’ve never been in a situation like this before so it is difficult. It’s been our job as leaders to stop little groups going into corners and talk about the ifs and buts of what might happen. We need to have group conversations together and get feelings out in the open.

“We have no control on what goes off the field. We just have to remain focused on what is happening on it. But if we cannot get ourselves up for a Friday night game against Sarries at the Ricoh then you know you are in the wrong job. We definitely feel we owe the fans a performance, so we are looking forward to it.”

On Young’s expected departure from the club he has served so well for nearly a decade, Robson said: “Dai has been massively helpful with my career since I came here. He gave me a chance at Wasps and I will always be grateful to him for helping me get an England cap off the back of it. He is definitely someone I will be keeping in touch with, no matter what happens.”

Blackett said he was in the dark over the Young decision, but added: “It was a surprise, but we are in a professional sport and it’s about how the team do on the field and the players just need to worry about that and do their jobs.”

Sounds like just about everyone has been caught with their pants down. I'm not surprised that we have not yet had a clarifying statement from the club. Hope for one sometime this week - sooner rather than later. Lets get the air cleared and the uncertainty out of the way as we prepare to kick some EAs ass. Pity Elliot won't be playing.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

It will take weeks, if not months, AFTER Wasps announce whoever is taking over, for any improvement to show through. In the meantime, I doubt that the on field play will be any better motivated or organised than was seen at the weekend.

The rest of this season will be damage limitation. I doubt we will now be able to sign any incoming players, and our new recruits to the squad will be almost entirely academy promotions, to fill any holes. Fortunately, we were not looking at many contracts needing renewal, but wasn't YY one of those, and Cruse? I would not blame either if they decided now was a good time to move on.

I have twice now been inside an organisation where the top role manager was suddenly removed and in both cases it was chaos for quite a while.

I cannot see the rest of this season going at all well, as, looking at how well Sarries did at the weekend, I think we can look forward to a spanking on Friday, especially with it looking like it might be a breezy, wet day.

[Sting]

Lee Blaggit's quote tells me that the Board were right to have a shakeup now.

"Blackett said he was in the dark over the Young decision, but added: “It was a surprise, but we are in a professional sport and it’s about how the team do on the field and the players just need to worry about that and do their jobs.”

1) if it was a surprise to him then not sure what he thought would ne the consequence of our poor performance.
2) " the players just need to their job"..well yes AND the coaches need to do theirs too! No hint even of any remorse or sense of responsibility for where we are from him and the coaching team.

Dai seems like a good hearted bloke and we will be forever thankful for his contribution. Now is a goof time to move on.

One final thought. Can Wasps please fire whoever has been doing the scouting in the Southern hemisphere

[Rifleman Harris]

.....now is  a goof time to move on.

Is this a comment on how this has been handled?

[Rifleman Harris]

I don't think you can read too much from a newspaper interview, especially the Telegraph.  He will have said a lot more which has been left out so as to fit the narrative they want to portray.  Unless we hear the whole interview you just can't say what he thinks. 

[Vespula Vulgaris]

One final thought. Can Wasps please fire whoever has been doing the scouting in the Southern hemisphere

Beale, Smith, Piutau x2, Le Roux, Carr

I think the positives outweight the negatives in general. It's just this season we've had a few damp squibs.

[wasps]

One final thought. Can Wasps please fire whoever has been doing the scouting in the Southern hemisphere

Beale, Smith, Piutau x2, Le Roux, Carr

I think the positives outweight the negatives in general. It's just this season we've had a few damp squibs.

I'd also add in JdJ and Ashley Johnson.

[AKWasp]

Have to disagree with the comments that this a write off.

From footballing experience, a caretaker can often instil a few new ideas they thought were the reason behind the old coach’s downfall.

You also get players seeing that they need a reaction to replicate the board’s- especially when you consider that a lot of these players will need to impress the new Head coach.

We are also still within a win of the top 6 meaning that is still a goal we should target as the players are more than capable of achieving it when on form and a few wins on the trot makes the top 4 look possible (yes I’m the eternal optimist but hoping is much more fun). Without these aims the players could go off the boil and may struggle to regain form over the preseason.

I would also argue that signings could be more forthcoming (especially if a new Head coach is signed in the next few weeks- even if he won’t start til the summer) as a new project with an exciting new coaching team looks a lot more attractive than one that’s produced an 8th place finish and is currently languishing in 10th.

[westwaleswasp]

One final thought. Can Wasps please fire whoever has been doing the scouting in the Southern hemisphere

Beale, Smith, Piutau x2, Le Roux, Carr

I think the positives outweight the negatives in general. It's just this season we've had a few damp squibs.

Excellent point, but that is true of the roster and performances in general under Dai, until 2017. It is the post 2017 recruitment that underwhelms and that is true of the team in general.

The league is so tight now that a couple of Ws we could qualify for top 6 or 4 under an interim coach....

[Shugs]

Take the point about the article maybe only representing half of what was said. However, from the few snippets available what is emerging is that we don't have someone else lined up/agreed. That really would be a cock up. On the SH point there's only really JTA who hasn't come off.

[Rifleman Harris]

One final thought. Can Wasps please fire whoever has been doing the scouting in the Southern hemisphere

Beale, Smith, Piutau x2, Le Roux, Carr

I think the positives outweight the negatives in general. It's just this season we've had a few damp squibs.

Excellent point, but that is true of the roster and performances in general under Dai, until 2017. It is the post 2017 recruitment that underwhelms and that is true of the team in general.

The league is so tight now that a couple of Ws we could qualify for top 6 or 4 under an interim coach....

I think your last statement says it all.  When we were at the top there was a much great disparity between top and bottom.  This season (even if Cheats didn't have the points deduction) the difference between bottom and Top 4 is only a couple of wins.  Therefore poor form is highlighted to a greater degree, but also a small run of form will catapult a team from bottom to play-offs. Therefore, this season is by no means a write off...winning the whole shebang is by no means out of the question at this stage. The players and staff should be working towards this.

[Rifleman Harris]

Take the point about the article maybe only representing half of what was said. However, from the few snippets available what is emerging is that we don't have someone else lined up/agreed. That really would be a cock up. On the SH point there's only really JTA who hasn't come off.

My point was really that Blackett showing no contrition, feeling no responsibility is not something you can deduce from a newspaper article in a paper that pushes it's own agenda.  I agree with what you are saying though.

[Neils]

Take the point about the article maybe only representing half of what was said. However, from the few snippets available what is emerging is that we don't have someone else lined up/agreed. That really would be a cock up. On the SH point there's only really JTA who hasn't come off.

My point was really that Blackett showing no contrition, feeling no responsibility is not something you can deduce from a newspaper article in a paper that pushes it's own agenda.  I agree with what you are saying though.

It could be that Blackett actually does have his future agreed and is just "filling in".

[Rossm]

Take the point about the article maybe only representing half of what was said. However, from the few snippets available what is emerging is that we don't have someone else lined up/agreed. That really would be a cock up. On the SH point there's only really JTA who hasn't come off.

My point was really that Blackett showing no contrition, feeling no responsibility is not something you can deduce from a newspaper article in a paper that pushes it's own agenda.  I agree with what you are saying though.

It could be that Blackett actually does have his future agreed and is just "filling in".

I thought he was destined to go to Cov.

[Shugs]

Take the point about the article maybe only representing half of what was said. However, from the few snippets available what is emerging is that we don't have someone else lined up/agreed. That really would be a cock up. On the SH point there's only really JTA who hasn't come off.

My point was really that Blackett showing no contrition, feeling no responsibility is not something you can deduce from a newspaper article in a paper that pushes it's own agenda.  I agree with what you are saying though.

Apols, I was referring to the Dobby interview. Agree re the Blackett one and fully agree that we could still easily finish fourth with a decent run of results. The cheats have assembled a mega squad but there's nothing between the others.